How to look as good as Kate after a flight

LET’S be clear: if I had to step off an aeroplane after a 27-hour flight with a baby, I would emphatically NOT l ook l i ke the Duchess of Cambridge. I mean, look at those thighs. It’s not right.

For those of us who are not elfinlimbed princesses, air travel is not always a good look. Dehydration, lack of movement, dryness, chair static, hair frizz, wind-inducing airl i ne f ood: i t ’s not an i deal combination.

The longer the flight, the worse the bloat. Mama Mio’s Lucky Legs Cooling Energising Leg Gel, £19.50 at www. mioskincare. co. uk ( i t ’s designed for pregnant ladies but I’m not proud) contains lots of lovely refreshing, de-puffing ingredients such as ginger and peppermint, and it comes in a 100ml bottle so it should just about squeak past security — provided, of course, you put it in the requisite see-through receptacle.

If you’re a regular traveller, you might want to consider investing in your own see-through make-up bag. At the top end of the scale there’s Anya Hindmarch’s incredibly extravagant but completely delectable Inflight Case (£150, www.anyahindmarch.co.uk), which is brilliantly well thought-out with separate compartments for take-off and landing. Otherwise dear old M&S does a very nice set of three with a snazzy polkadot trim (£7.99, www.marksandspencer.com).

One of my favourite brands, This Works, has done an entire range of clever in-flight essentials, including In Transit Muscle Therapy (£18), which comes in a handy roll-on and contains a reviving blend of essential oils including marjoram, black pepper and pain-relieving clove. Great also post-gym, if you happen to be that way inclined.

I find my skin shrivels up like a prune at the barest hint of a doors-to-manual, so a moisturiser is a must. Lucas Paw Paw (£4.95 from www.pawpawshop.co.uk) is a fantastic all-rounder, suitable for skin, lips, nails, dry patches and the like. It’s a very pure product based on papaya extract: simple but effective.

Lastly, something to keep the inflight hair frizzies at bay: John Frieda Frizz Ease Original 6 Effects Serum (£6.29 at www.feelunique.com): the original and still the best.